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Educational technology in developing countries: a systematic review

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Abstract

The emergence of educational technology (“EdTech”) in developing countries has been received as a promising avenue to address some of the most challenging policy questions within educational systems. In this paper, I review and synthesize all existing studies with credible causal identification frameworks of EdTech interventions in developing countries. While other studies review the evidence for EdTech interventions in developed countries, there is currently no equivalent study for developing contexts, in spite of the rising number of studies being produced. I classify studies into four thematic categories based on the type of EdTech intervention analyzed: (1) access to technology, (2) technology-enabled behavioral interventions, (3) improvements to instruction, and (4) self-led learning. I find that EdTech interventions centered around self-led learning and improvements to instruction are the most effective forms of EdTech at raising learning outcomes. Similarly, technology-enabled behavioral interventions are less promising for generating large effects but highly cost-effective given their typically low marginal costs. While expanding access to technology alone is not sufficient to improve learning, it is a necessary first step for other types of interventions. More broadly, the overall success of interventions rests on the thoughtful customization of the EdTech solution to the policy constraints at hand. Finally, EdTech interventions across all thematic areas can and should act as complements by leveraging their respective comparative advantages to address deficiencies within educational systems in developing countries.

Author
Rodriguez-Segura, Daniel
Corporate Author
University of Virginia (USA). Curry School of Education
Year of publication
2020
Imprint
Charlottesville (VA) (University of Virginia, 2020, p.75)
Source database
curatED
Language